Practical discussion on contemporary life challenges from an ancient perspective.

Friday, May 22, 2015

THE PROOF OF OUR PROFESSION

If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in
darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.(1 John 1:6)

Talk is cheap.I can claim to be Superman.You would want to see me fly.Around seventy percent of the American
population claims to be Christian.Where
is the evidence?Would the culture be in
moral freefall if that were truly the case?Let me be more direct.Is there
proof you can present that makes your profession of faith credible?

John’s intent in writing this
first letter is so we can know for certain we are prepared to meet God.He sums his purpose up in 5:13, “These things I have written to you who
believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal
life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.”

True Christianity is not a mere
set of beliefs someone subscribes to, but a Person that we believe in—and His
name is Jesus Christ.John opens the
first chapter by pointing to Him and calls Him, “the Word of life” (v.1).Real conversion rests on a genuine connection with Christ—for He is the
source of eternal life.As the Word, He
has communicated God to us, disclosing the plan of salvation.There is no salvation apart from Him.Although we live in an age of “tolerance” and
political correctness, which dogmatically asserts there are no moral absolutes,
Scripture emphatically declares that Jesus is the only way to heaven.It is not a religion that saves—it is a
relationship with Christ that is required.

Why won’t religion work?Why can’t we get sprinkled as a baby,
confirmed as a teen, or baptized as an adult?Isn’t joining a church and trying to be good, good enough?John says the problem is this, “God is light and in Him there is no
darkness at all.”(v.5)God is inexpressibly holy and infinitely
righteous, demanding moral perfection for those who would be in His
heaven.Who among us can claim
that?Even in the best person you have
ever met, there is some darkness—so how can we be in right standing with God?

When by God’s gracious
intervention, and the Holy Spirit’s call, we repent—turn from walking the path
of darkness to the path of light (v.6-7)—the orientation of our life is changed—something
so radical as to be described as a new birth.It is unthinkable that such a work of God within us would not produce an
effect in our lifestyle.Only Christ can
save us.We are not saved because we
decide to “clean up our act.”The stain
of sin is too dark and deep.The blood
of Christ alone can cleanse us.The
evidence that His blood has cleansed us, however, will be seen in holy living.

Does this mean that one who comes
to Christ is perfect?As to our position
in Christ, we are accepted in Him, but as to our practice, it is progressive,
and we will stumble at times.Even so,
provision is made for cleansing (v.9) and the child of God will want that
fellowship restored. God is faithful and just to forgive us of all sin, but we
must confess—the word means to agree—acknowledging our need and receiving
Christ.Do you have this new life?If not I beg you—come to Christ today!

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About Me

I am a mountaineer by birth--a native of Asheville, NC. For a period of ten years I lived in the Charlotte area and for the last eighteen, I have been "home." I was brought up in a Christian family. In fact, I went to church nine months before I was born! Despite the best efforts of parents and preachers, I went astray. The Prodigal Son story that Jesus told in Luke 15 became my story--a sordid life of drugs and booze and that's enough for you to know. But at the age of eighteen all I had been taught came flooding back into my mind when I saw the mess I was in. Christ changed me. I gave my life to Him and as a result have spent the last three decades preaching the Gospel. I'm not all I ought to be and certainly not what I one day shall be, but thankfully, not what I used to be! God has blessed me with a great wife, five wonderful children and so far, twelve grandchildren. To Him be the glory and praise, now and forever.